Two Bills Drive

‘The Bucs have 43 sacks, one off the team record (44 in 1997). Odds are, the new record will be set today against the Buffalo Bills at Raymond James Stadium.’

‘Even now, they say, things really aren’t as bad as they seem. They are wrong. It is that bad. It could get worse.’

‘The entire team’s sack total has dropped significantly in the last three games.’

‘The Bucs have no option. They set it up this way when they held onto Eric Zeier and didn’t go after another backup. Dungy said Monday that King remains the Bucs’ best chance for success. And he’s right.’

‘Take the Bucs, change some of the names to Sam Cowart and Jay Riemersma, and what have you got? The Buffalo Bills. There may not be another team in the league that’s as Buc-like as the Bills.’

‘Buffalo’s Wade Phillips has his team positioned to take over the AFC East lead with a victory against the Bucs.’

‘Tampa Bay has maybe a 40 percent chance of being alive for the NFL post-season. Ten wins are needed.’

‘At 5 feet 8, 180 pounds, they believe he can’t take the pounding of a featured running back. With the season-ending injury to Mike Alstott, Dunn has an opportunity in the last five games to prove he is durable enough to get the football 20-25 times a contest.’

‘I hardly ever fight too much for extra yardage because you usually get hurt. The thing is, when I run, I try to protect myself at all costs because I do want to be able to walk away from the game.’

‘Johnson is healthy and took over from Doug Flutie. His team seemed to rally around him in a comeback win over Kansas City on the road.’

‘Clearly the people`s choice is Flutie, the gutty, diminutive and aging former Heisman Trophy winner who has orchestrated some magical victories during three seasons in Buffalo. But the coach`s choice — and the only choice that matters — is Johnson…’.

‘Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp ripped offensive coordinator Les Steckel in Saturday`s editions of The St. Petersburg Times, blasting Steckel`s play-calling, formations and the unit`s lack of identity.’

‘The Bucs` run to the playoff compulsories very likely begins or ends today at home against the Buffalo Bills, who are hoping Warren Sapp doesn`t revive their quarterback controversy by splitting hairs — Rob Johnson`s hairs, for starters.’

‘Channel 5 general manager Gary Wordlaw said these Syracuse blackouts violate the league’s 75-mile rule, but the station is powerless to stop the Bills from imposing them here.’

‘The sixth-year veteran has 11 1/2 sacks this season, third best in the NFL and just one shy of his total for last season, when he was named Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year.’